Connecting device



Oct. 3, 1944. w. A. BRUNO CONNECTING DEVICE Filed Oct. 14, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. W/zL/AM A. Spa/v0 Oct. 3, 1944. w, BRUNO CONNECTING DEVICE Filed Oct. 14, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. I/V/LL/AM A. BAWNO Patented Oct. 3, 1944 CONNECTING DEVICE William A. Bruno, New Hyde Park, N. Y., assignor to the firm Bruno Patents Inc., Long Island City, N. Y.

Application October 14, 1942, Serial No. 461,959

3 Claims.

This invention relates to an electrical connecting device adapted to provide electrical connection between a stationary structure and a second structure which is capable of rotary movement relative to said stationary structure, said connecting device being also adapted to form a gaseous connection with said second structure upon rotatably coupling the connecting device with a stationary gas supply source. The invention has particular relation to a connecting device of this type, which is adapted to be used for providing electrical and gaseous connection between a rotary turret and stationary parts in air-planes, tanks, armoured cars and the like.

The main object of my present invention is to provide an improved connecting device of the above mentioned type, which carries electrical connecting means, and is adapted to provide a gaseous connection upon being rotatably connected with a gas supply source.

It is another object of my invention to provide a connecting device which comprises a stationary unit carrying electrical contact elements and a tubular unit which also carries electric contact elements and is rotatably housed by said stationary unit and adapted to form a gaseous connecting means.

A further object of my invention is to provide a connecting device consisting of relatively few parts, which can be easily assembled and taken apart.

Other objects and advantages will appear to those skilled in the art from the following specification and the appended drawings which show, by way of example, a preferred embodiment of my invention, and in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a connecting device according to my invention.

Figure 2 is an end view looking at the right end and taken along the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is another end view looking at the left end of Fig. 1 in the drawings;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 44 of Fig. 1, and

Figure 5 is an outside elevational View of the device.

Referring now to the drawings, a panel I, to which the connecter is fastened, is shown in Fig. 1. 2 is a flanged stationary tube which consists, for example, of phosphor-bronze, carries a barrel 3, and rotatably houses the gas supply pipe l2. A protecting element, which may consist of felt, is inserted, as shown at 43, to prevent dust and other impurities from entering the device. The internal surface of the right end of tube I2 is provided with a pipe thread |2-and the left end of a pipe I2" is screwed in the right end of pipe I 2. The other end of pipe I2" is rotatably connected with a stationary gas supply source 6|. This device 6|, which does not form a part of my present invention, is diagrammatically indicated in the drawings. A contact ring assembly is secured to the outer cylindrical surface of tube 2. This contact ring assembly contains four contact rings 5, which are insulated from each other and from the tube 2 by insulating parts 6. The contact ring assembly is held assembled by discs 42 and 42'. Each of the contact rings 5 has an electrically insulated duct bolt 9, and is connected with a soldering lug ill. The incoming four wire cable (not shown in the drawings) is connected to these soldering lugs Ni.

Rigidly secured by screws to the rotatable gas supply tube 12 is a bell-shaped metallic body I5, which carries four properly insulated contact elementslfi. Each of these contact elements It is electrically connected to a contact spring [1, which is also properly insulated from body I 5. These contact springs are situated in four different planes in such a manner that each contact spring glides on and forms electrical parallel contacts with one of the contact rings 5 at two spaced points. Each of these springs is secured to the body 15 by a pair of properly insulated rivets l8. The left end of contact elements I6 is provided with a soldering lug 2|, to which the outgoing leads (not shown) are soldered.

The left end of the rotatable gas supply tube I2 is provided with an exterior pipe thread 62 and connected with threaded tube elements 63. A cover H provided with a clamp H and adapted to receive the incoming cable, is secured to barrel 3, and a similar cover 12 provided with clamp 12' and having an opening for the outgoing cable is secured to body l5 by means of screws 41. A notched spring element 13 and a washer 13 is inserted between barrel 3 and a shoulder of tube [2.

As will be understood from the above description and the drawings, the connecting device according to this invention can be easily assembled and taken apart. Owing to its simple construction, it represents a durable and safe electrical and gaseous connecting means which is not affected by sudden changes of atmospheric conditions and can also be used for supplying a gas under superatmospheric pressure.

While I have shown and described certain preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments and details shown but may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced. Within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A system for connecting stationary electrical and gaseous sources with a rotatable structure, said system comprising a stationary cylindrical tube carrying on its outer cylindrical surface a concentrically arranged stationary electrical contact ring assembly, the inner cylindrical surface of said stationary tube forming a bearing for an intermediate portion of a rotatable gas supply tube, both ends of said rotatable gas supply tube projecting from said stationary tube, the outer surface of one projecting end of said rotatable gas supply tube carrying a bell-shaped cylindrical body housing electric connecting means comprising lcontact springs adapted to make rotatable electrical contact with the contact rings of said contact ring assembly, and the other projecting end of the rotatable gas supply tube being adapted to be rotatably connected with a stationary gas supply source.

2. A system for connecting stationary electrical and gaseous. sources with a rotatable struc ture, said system comprising a stationary cylindrical tube carrying on its outer cylindrical surface a concentrically arranged electrical contact ring assembly, the'inner cylindrical surface of said stationary tube forming a bearing for an intermediate portion of a rotatable gas supply tube, both ends of said rotatable gas supply tube projecting from said stationary tube, the outer surface of one projecting end of said rotatable gas supply tube carrying a bell-shaped cylindrical body fastened to said one projecting end of said rotatable tube, said bell-shaped body housing electric connecting means comprising contact springs adapted to make rotatable electrical parallel contact with the stationary contact rings of the contact ring assembly at two spaced points, and the other projecting end of the rotatable tube being adapted to be rotatably connected with a stationary gas supply source.

3. In a device for connecting stationary electrical and gaseous sources with a rotatable structure, a stationary cylindrical tube carry ing on its outer cylindrical surface a stationary contact ring assembly, the inner cylindrical surface of said stationary tube forming a bearing for an intermediate portion of a rotatable gas supply tube, both ends of said rotatable gas supply tube projecting from said stationary tube, the outer surfac of said one projecting end of said rotatable tube carrying a bell-shaped cylindrical body housing electric connecting means comprising contact springs adapted to make rotatable electrical contact with the contact rings of the contact ring assembly, the other projecting end of the rotatable tube being adapted to be rotatably connected With a stationary gas supply source, a barrel carried by one end of said stationary tube, said barrel being connected with a first cover provided with a clamp and being adapted to receive the incoming electric cables,

a second cover carried by said body, said cover being provided with a clamp and adapted to receive outgoing electrical cables.

WILLIAM A. BRUNO. 

